Fueling system



1949. A. J. GRANBERG FUELING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 7, 1944 INVENTOR Jan. 18, 1949. A. J. GRANBERG FUELING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 7, E1944 WM M Patented Jan. 18, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT FF'ICE FUELING SYSTEM Albert J. Granberg, Oakland, Calif.

Application February 7, 1944, Serial No. 521,467

2 Claims.

My invention relates to pump systems and more particularly to systems for supplying liquid under pressure as in fueling systems for supplying gasoline at a number of outlets.

Among the objects of my invention are:

1. To provide a novel and improved system for supplying liquid under maintained pressure;

2. To provide a novel and improved pressure system requiring fewer valves than conventional corresponding systems of the prior art;

3. To provide a novel and improved pressure tank assembly for a pressure system;

4. To provide a novel and'improved pressure tank assembly of simplified construction and operation;

5. To provide a novel and improved pressure system capable of automatically increasing its capacity to handle increased load demands;

6. To provide a novel and improved means of insulating the air in an air cushion from the liquid in a pressure tank assembly.

Additional objects of my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same as a fueling system, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section illustrating my improved system;

Figure 2 is a view in section through the pressure tank assembly taken in the plane 2-2 of Figure 1.

My improved system in its general layout comprises a storage tank I for fuel, one or more pumps 3, 3' etc., having their intake ends connected to a suction line 5 leading to the storage tank, and their discharge ends connecting into a main fuel line I which leads to a plurality of outlets 9, 9' etc. At some point between the pumps and the outlets and branching off from the main fuel line is an auxiliary or pressure tank assembly ii having a pressure connection i3 to a plurality of control switches l5, l5

etc.. corresponding in number to the number of pumps under control of the pressure tank assembly.

In a system for the dispensing of fuel such as gasoline, the storage tank i will preferably be of the underground type having an exposed fill box I? and tank vent l9. suction line leading from the tank precludes return flow of fuel to the tank with consequent loss of prime in the pumps.

The pumps 3, 3 etc. may be of the variable displacement type such as disclosed and A check valve 2| in the r claimed in my prior Patent No. 2,260,805 of Oct. 28, 1941, and are connected for parallel operation. Each pump is preferably electrically driven from a motor 23, 23' etc. connected to a source of power through its associated control switch i5, i5 etc., the opening and closing of which is determined by the pressure condition in the pressure tank assembly H and the adjustment of each switch. I prefer to adjust the cutin pressure of each control switch to a value differing from the others but only to a small 'degree, the magnitude of such difference not being critical. With such adjustments in effect, the pump associated with the pressure switch of highest cut-in pressure adjustment will go into operation when the pressure tank assembly pres sure drops to that value. The remaining pumps merely act as standby pumps until such time as the pressure drops to the value of the next lower cut-in pressure, when the pump associated with the pressure switch adjusted to that pressure, will go into operation, and so on with any additional pumps in the system. Such lowering of pressure occurs when the load demands on the pump or pumps in operation exceeds the capacity or ability of such pump or pumps to hold the pressure up in the system. Thus the system utilizes no more of the pumping facilities than the demands on the system call for, thereby operating at higher efdciency than if a single pump of corresponding maximum capacity were employed.

With the pumps connected for parallel operation as previously mentioned, a shut-off valve-25 adjacent both the suction and discharge ends of each pump enables any one or more pumps to be disconnected from the system for repair or replacement without disrupting operation. A check valve 27 in each pump connection to the main discharge line is of vital importance in my system in preventing the pumping of fuel by an operating pump through a standby pump or such pump as may for some reason become incapacitated. It is to be noted, in this connection, that the incapacitation of any pump will cause the pump of next lower cut-in pressure to automatically take its place in the sequence of operations and the system will continue functioning in its intended manner.

periods of the pumps, and insulate the air fromthe liquid, thereby precluding absorption of air by the liquid.

4 While I have disclosed a preferred form of my invention in detail, I do not desire to be limited in my protection to such details, for the same may be altered or modified without departing from the underlying principles of my invention.

I claim: 1. A pressure and liquid storage tank assembly comprising a tank having an inlet and outlet for liquid to be stored therein, an independent removable chamber in said tank having flexible walls exposed to said liquid to provide a' cushion for said liquid, said independent removable chamber having an initial volume approaching that of said storage tank in the absence of liquidin In a system intended for the dispensing of fuel such as gasoline, such bagmust be of material immune to the effects of gasoline, and I have found one of the artificial rubbers known to the trade as Neoprene to be very suitable for this purpose. At one end, the bag is provided with an opening from Which a hose or pipe connection 4| is led through a sealed closure 43 in the Wall of the pressure tank to the control switches l5, l5 etc.

At the time of installing the bag in the tank, it is preferably pumped up to a pressure approximately that of atmospheric pressure, whereby upon starting up of the system, the pumping of gasoline into the tank will tend to compress the bag and increase the pressure therein. By adjusting the cut-ofi pressure of the pressure switches, the pressure permitted to develop in the pressure tank may be limited to any desirable maximum pressure by the disconnection of all operating pumps when such pressure is reached. For a fueling system of. the type described, the pressure switches may be adjusted to open when the pressure in the pressure tank reaches approximately a value of 25 lbs. per square inch.

A perforated bafile 45 installed in the tank across the fuel connection thereto, "will break up the stream of liquid as it enters the tank and thereby prevent any possible damage to the bag 39.

The pressure tank assembly of myimproved design eliminates the customary floats, float valves, or such other types of valve mechanisms conventionally employed in prior art pressure tank assemblies, as well as the accompanying difiiculties and troubles associated with such devices.

said tank, and an outlet connection through a Wall of said tank from said independent removable chamberfor connection to a pressure switch.

2. A pressure and liquid'storage tank assembly comprising a tank having an inlet and an outlet for liquid to be stored therein, an inflated gas bag in said tank and constituting an independent chamber having flexible walls exposed to said liquid to provide a cushion for said liquid, said gas REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record'in the file of this patent: I

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 349,777 Adlung Sept. 28, 1886 1,292,778 Holmes Jan. 28, 1919 1,789,620 Elliott, Jan. 20, 1931 1,939,611 Purvis Dec. 12, 1933 2,216,374 Martin Oct. 1, 1940 2,222,595. Regester Nov. 26, 1940 2,223,415 Groves Dec, 3, 1940 2,229,986 Page Jan. 28, 1941 2,246,940 Hood -1 June 24, 1941 2,283,439 Herman 1 May 19, 1942 2,312,728 OI-Iagan et al Mar. 2, 1943 2,324,701 Herman July 20, 1943 2,349,321 White May 23, 1944 2,378,467

De Kiss June 19, 1945 

